Just As She Remembered
by SendMeThornsThroughAnOwl
Summary: Hermione Granger returns to Hogwarts five years after the war, summoned by the Headmistress. She is offered a job she wouldn't dare refuse, and suddenly she's thrown back head first into the world she loves. Not only does she reconnect with her old friends, she also reconnects with herself, and begins to learn what it's like to love again. Rated M for content in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Hogwarts hadn't changed. I looked up at the gargantuan castle and shook my head, smiling. I laughed as I thought about what _had_ changed in the five years since I had been there. The grounds were bright and lively, filled with magical creatures of every shape and size, some in stables, and some set to roam freely. Hagrid had done amazing work with the students to make every trace of the war nearly disappear. The Forbidden Forest was blocked by a large stone wall, and only one gate led into the mysterious dark wood.

It had been Mcgonagall's idea to install the wall, which no doubt was protected by heavy enchantments and wards. Student after student had tried to get passed it, failing miserably each time. I continued up to the castle doors, which were open to let students roam about the grounds for the day. The stone halls were cool as a summer breeze lifted through the doors and open windows, smelling of sweet flowers and dirt.

When I had received the letter from Mcgonagall, it had been simply stated that the older witch wished to see me, only giving a date and time, and requested that I meet her in her office. I had owled her shortly after, asking what the meeting was about, but after receiving no reply, I was left to wonder what exactly the Headmistress of Hogwarts wanted from me after five, long years.

I reached the doors of Mcgonagall's office, not surprised when they opened before I even had a chance to knock. I smiled, took a deep breath, and stepped into the room, astounded to find that it was neat and orderly, unlike the office I had remembered from when Dumbledore occupied the space. Various clocks ticked and portraits conversed with one another, bringing the room to life. I smiled to myself at the small dish of lemon drops on the desk, a reminder of Dumbledore's spectacular sweet tooth.

"Miss Granger!" Minerva Mcgonagall stepped in from the adjoining room, hands clasped together and a bright smile on her weathered face. Her beady eyes sunk far into their sockets, and she had twice as many wrinkles as she did when I last saw her. Her pointed hat was as frightening as ever, tilted to the left and crooked at the top. The usual black robes were loose, and I realized just how old the witch probably was. "How lovely to see you after all this time, my dear."

"Yes, it's been quite a while, Professor." She made a slight noise and chuckled warmly.

"It's been half a decade since you finished your schooling, dear girl," She patted me on the shoulder and ushered me to one of the chairs in front of the desk. "I think a simple Minerva would suffice."

"I'm very sorry for not sending you another owl, we've been very busy here, since our charms professor up and quit." Minerva sighed and handed me a sheet of parchment, a detailed report of what had happened the day the man quit. After reading for several moments, I almost had to bite my lip from laughing at the situation. Minerva looked concerned for a moment, before it dawned on her why exactly I was laughing.

"Hermione, this is hardly a laughing matter." I sobered at her scolding tone, but it only lasted a moment, before I erupted in giggles, this time, Minerva joined me. I felt terrible for laughing at the poor man, who only quit because the raging, greasy bat of the dungeons hexed him for spilling pumpkin juice on his cloak. Minerva screeched with laughter when I made an underhanded comment about the potions professor's black attire, finding the thought hilarious. The door to the office opened just then, and a tall, dark, and extremely unhappy Severus Snape strode through, not even bothering to see me, who sat in front of the headmistress, before going off on a tantrum.

"Minerva, some blasted Gryffindor hexed one of my students for placing a bloody _paper_ spider on his books. The boy had no intention of apologizing, and seeing as I have no power whatsoever to give detentions to students who aren't from _my house_ ," He paced back and forth, not even caring that the Headmistress was having a previous conversation with me. "I wish to see that the boy is properly punished."

It was then that he looked up, taking in the sight before him. His gaze ran over Minerva swiftly before looking to me, a surprised expression sweeping over his features briefly before disappearing, a smirk taking it's place. His eyes traveled up and down me, no doubt disapproving of the muggle clothing I wore. When his eyes finally met mine, his lips curled into a somewhat pleasant smile.

"Miss Granger, how surprising." He turned to Minerva, who was slightly shocked that the moody man had actually bothered to greet me at all. His features changed quickly again, back into the angry, fearsome state they had been in when he strode in moments before. Minerva gestured for him to take the other seat next to me, and he obliged, gracefully sitting in the chair like it was a throne. "So, what will be done about the insufferable child?"

"Severus, I'll see to it, but for now, I have more important matters at hand." She paused and looked pointedly at me, flashing me a smile before continuing. "I must focus on filling our empty Charms spot before this school falls apart in disarray."

"Surely you don't think that I'm qualified for the job?" I was momentarily shocked, surprised that she wanted me to take the job. I was about to give her an exact list of reasons why I _shouldn't_ take the job when Professor Snape cut in.

"Silly girl, you are no doubt the _most_ qualified for the tedious job of being a charms professor." I was taken aback at his statement, not sure whether or not he was complimenting me. Almost as if he was sensing my reaction to his words, he quickly continued. "You are, after all, one of the smartest students this insufferable school has ever seen."

I smiled at that, almost overjoyed to know that the man who made my seven years at Hogwarts almost unbearable, actually approved of me a little. Minerva was apparently just as happy, because she clapped her hands together and stood, waving her hands about the room, searching for something. She must've found it after a few seconds, and with a breathy 'accio schedule' she sat back down.

"Now, if you accept, you'll need to move your things here almost immediately, as classes have already begun." She looked at me over her glasses, suddenly serious as she waited for my answer. I felt both her and Snape weighing my reaction to the sudden offer. It would mean leaving my job at the Ministry, which was nothing special to begin with. It would mean leaving my flat in London, leaving the group of friends that I had become acquainted with over the years. None of them were as close to me as Ron or Harry had been through the years. I thought about it for a moment longer, before giving her a firm nod.

"Oh, perfect. You know how a wizard's oath works, then?" I nodded and watched as she held out her hand. I grasped her wrist and she took hold of mine, her bony and gnarled fingers encircling me firmly. She held her wand out and held it over our hands, and was about to mutter the oath before she looked to me. "This will bind you until I relieve you of your position, Miss Granger. Are you willing to accept that?"

"Yes." My voice rang loud and clear and she tilted her head forward, acknowledging my answer. She spoke the oath, and then asked me to repeat it back to her, and after a few minutes of standing there with our hands clasped, the magic swirling over our forearms disappeared. She let go and smiled warmly at me, and held up her wandless hand, snapping her fingers lightly. Several house elves appeared with a dainty pop, eagerly awaiting the Headmistress's orders.

"Go to Miss Granger's flat, and bring all of her belongings to the charms rooms. Report back to me after everything has been moved." The elves nodded firmly and disappeared with another pop, and Minerva sat down, shuffling through sheets of parchment before she came across the one she was looking for. "Severus, can you show Hermione where her rooms are to be? After all, the location of many of the rooms have changed since you've been here."

He scowled a little, uncomfortable with her giving him orders in front of me, no doubt. I smiled warmly at her before exiting the room with the tall man, who's cloak drifted behind him like a cape while he walked. I trailed behind him, pausing occasionally to greet portraits and staff members from my time at Hogwarts. I was amazed to find a very large painting of Albus Dumbledore hanging where the Gryffindor common room portrait used to be.

He smiled and waved, acknowledging her before turning to another painting next to him, going on about how I was one of Harry's best friends. The conversation faded as I walked, and I became immersed in the sights around me. Several students greeted me, most seventh-years whom I remembered as second-years, from my time at the school. It was funny to think about it now. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I suddenly ran into Snape, his large frame stopping me in my tracks.

"Miss Granger, please do try to focus so as to not get lost the next time you try to find your rooms." He steadied me with an arm and then opened the door in front of us, waving me in and gesturing to the classroom that was now mine. "Your rooms are through that door back there. I expect that you don't need anything else from me?"

I shook my head and said my thanks, watching him as he left through the door we came in. The war changed him more than I would've thought, and the kindness that he was showing me made me a little uneasy. That was definitely not the cold, irritating and loud professor I knew. Thinking nothing more of it, I glanced around the dusty room with disgust, casting a cleansing charm over the space, grateful to see most of the dust and grit gone.

What was to be my desk was placed on a slightly higher platform, and the black board behind it was high enough for those even in the back of the room to see. The room was made for lecturing, and lecturing was something I was extremely good at. I flicked my wand at the shades covering the windows, sending them up and letting light into the room. The view onto the castle grounds was exactly how I remembered it.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: All characters belong to the lovely J.K. Rowling. I realize that I'm a bit rusty as far as my writing goes, so if you have any suggestions, feel free to review or P.M. me. Enjoy!

Chapter Two

The following day was Sunday, which happened to be the only day I had no classes to teach. I did quite a bit of decorating in my own rooms, though I had nothing to put on the bland cream-colored walls and my desk still remained empty, albeit a quill and stack of parchment. Student after student had welcomed me to the new job, most had gushed about my time with Harry and how I was legendary for helping him.

I was putting wards on the cabinets in my personal space when I glanced up at my reflection in the mirror. My life had revolved around Harry and the war up until it was suddenly over. Throughout that entire time I had never focused on my looks, save for my buck teeth and bushy, unmanageable hair. Of course, those were easy fixes when you had magic available at the swish of a wand.

My teeth were perfectly normal now, straight and white. My hair had calmed down a bit, now falling in soft chesnut, waves, almost to my waist. I wasn't usually concerned with the way I looked, but then again, when no one saw you at work on a daily basis, I guess it didn't really matter. But now, being a professor of charms, I almost felt it was necessary to look my best when dealing with hundreds of students a day.

While staring at my reflection, I barely registered a slight knock on my door. It sounded once more, sharper this time, and I snapped out of my thoughts. Hurrying quickly to the door, I opened it, startled to find the hallway before me empty. A piece of folded parchment was magically stuck to the door, and I pulled it down. Whoever had left it was certainly skilled with charms, because the note was bound to my magical signature. Anyone else who tried to open it would be covered in paper cuts from head to toe, no doubt.

' _An invitation'_ It read, scrawled in messy letters. ' _For Hermione Granger, at dinner, in the great hall.'_ I frowned and tried to read on, the rest of the words a jumbled mess until I tapped it with my wand, the letters magically rearranged themselves into the proper places. ' _You were absent last night, dinner was extremely uneventful and quite frankly, you were missed greatly by the others. Do try to show.'_ I gave a little snort at the signature on the bottom of the page. ' _Severus Snape'._

I chuckled at the explanation for the note, and how the insufferable man had stated that the 'others' had missed me. The thought made me wheeze as I fought to control myself, and I instantly had a sobering thought. The man was bound by both Dumbledore and Voldemort in many ways during the war. The darkness that radiated from him constantly was probably a side effect of that, and now that both of the wizards were gone, it was possible that the darkness inside of Snape had been vanquished as well.

Taking the note in hand, I walked through the doors and into my classroom, where I sat at my desk. I wrote quickly on the parchment, scrawling my snarky response about coming to get me for dinner himself, and then applying the same charms he had used on the note to the parchment, and sent it on it's way through the castle and to the dungeons, ministry mail style. He would receive it in a matter of seconds, and I thought of the professor actually showing up at my door before dinner to retrieve me. It would be quite entertaining when he realized she was joking.

"Miss Granger," I turned my head to the open door and saw the tall man standing there, my note in hand, an amused expression on his face. He stepped in, and rolled the parchment into a ball, before holding it up, poised as if to throw it at me, which he then proceeded to do. I caught it, and threw it up the air, whispering a charm of my own, and it immediately burst into flames. His response was a low whistle, and he crossed his arms, leaning on the door frame. "Impressive, silly girl. What next, will you turn it into a bat?"

"No, next I will throw it back at you and set _you_ on fire." I watched as he raised a brow at my threat, eyes turning cold and dark once again. Someone said something behind him, and he moved out of the way, surprised. A petite red headed woman practically flew past him and rushed me, before I had time to react, I was enfolded in a familiar pair of arms. "Ginny!"

"I heard you were back, and I couldn't believe it!" The girl was practically crying as she hugged me, and I made eye contact with Snape, who rolled his eyes at the display and turned to go. Before he shut the door behind him, he turned and called out over his shoulder.

"Miss Granger, I assume that both that threat and the parchment were legitimate?" Before I had time to respond, he spoke again, this time getting Ginny's attention as well. "I'll see you at quarter to five, and if you _ever_ set me on fire, you'll pay for it dearly."

I was shocked, not because he said he was actually coming to retrieve me for dinner, but because he took my threat of setting him on fire well. If I had done that as a student I'd be shoveling Thestral shit and writing lines for a year. It was quite comical to watch Ginny's mouth pop open at his words, and then quickly close again as she tried to figure out just what to say to the exchange.

"Mione, I don't think I've ever once seen him without that infuriating scowl on his face. He actually laughed!" Her apparent shock made something clear to me finally. Snape was still the cold hearted bastard he had always been, but for some reason he found it in said cold heart to at least civil to me. Ginny's eyes narrowed and she lowered her voice before she spoke again. "You didn't drug the man, did you? Or use some new spell to make people actually pleasant?"

"No you idiot, I'm just as addled as you." I spoke on her level, in case the greasy git strayed behind to listen to our conversation. It was definitely something he'd do, the man entirely Slytherin at heart. I turned to Ginny and changed the subject quickly. "Come, I feel like I haven't seen you since…"

She knew my meaning as I trailed off.

"Since the war?" She paused to give me a small smile. "We all feel that way, Mione."

I winced and led her to my sitting room, gesturing to the small couch and lumpy old chair. Ignoring the pang that I felt when I thought about the sparse decor, I started asking her about her life. I was surprised to learn that she and Harry had married, and Ron was well on his way, being engaged to Lavender Brown. Ginny worked with Neville in the Herbology department, while Ron and Harry were both Aurors for the ministry.

Not believing that Draco Malfoy actually helped Snape teach potions every other week left us both in a fit of giggles until we controlled ourselves. We caught up in all things, personal, and work wise, until a loud knock sounded on the door. I stood, glancing at the clock and realized that it was indeed, quarter to five. He was right on time. The door opened once I removed the ward, and Snape walked through, dressed in his usual black on black robes, the attire I remembered.

"Miss Granger, I distinctly remember you telling me to be here at a quarter to five." His tone was slightly scolding and I frowned, looking up to see a laughing expression in his eyes. Something told me that I was the only one meant to see that because he turned to Ginny, and his features once again became closed off. "Miss Weasley, how... _nice_ to see you."

"Snape." Her tone was just as clipped, and she strode past him and out the door, turning to give me a quick wink before she went to the great hall. So it was true. He acted different towards me than he did to everyone else. For some reason I felt a slight rush of something unpleasant through my limbs, causing me to frown slightly. Realizing I was ignoring the man standing in front of me, I snapped back to the present and quickly grabbed my cloak.

"Ready?" He asked, holding out his arm in jest. I snorted and shoved it away, moving past him to the door. I cast several wards over the heavy wooden door, ensuring my private space would stay...private. Snape watched me the entire time, and muttered his approval with the last and final ward, which was the most difficult. "You must have something extremely valuable if you go through such measures to ensure your privacy."

"No, Professor Snape, I simply value having my own space." I walked quickly down the halls, up a set of stairs and then down another two, knowing exactly where to go to get to the great hall. When we reached the doors, I stopped, and looked behind me, and was shocked to see that Snape was nowhere to be found. I shrugged, and stepped into the loud hall for the first time in years.

It was exactly how I'd remembered it, floating candles lit, ceiling enchanted to show the starry night sky above, cloudless and beautiful. Four long tables stretched across the room, each house seated at one. At the high table sat all professors and staff; the only ones I recognized were grouped together. Hagrid, Ginny, Neville, Madam Pomfrey, Minerva, and to my surprise, Snape, all sat chewing happily on their meals. I strode up to the table, and took the empty seat next to the black-clad professor.

"Miss Granger, wherever have you been?" The snarky smirk of the man made me want to sock him in the eyes with my fork, but I ignored his jab and focused on loading my plate. I was ravenous. I could feel his eyes on me as I scooped a heap of potatoes onto my plate, followed by a generous helping of the beef stew. Looking up once more, I realized he was laughing silently, his broad shoulders shaking with the effort of keeping quiet.

"Can I help you?" I asked, louder than I meant, and suddenly the entire table turned to us. Ginny and Neville both looked extremely uncomfortable at the sight of Snape laughing like he was, Hagrid just shrugged and went back to munching on his stew, and Minerva looked almost overcome with glee. "What? Why are you laughing?"

"You have-" He was overcome with another bout of giggles and I heard Neville whisper something to Ginny about a drugged Severus. I frowned and suddenly noticed a large bit of potato that somehow found it's way into my hair. Whispering a quick scourgify, it disappeared and I turned back to the still laughing wizard. He finally controlled himself and his expression was once again neutral, and no one said anything more of the awkward situation. I finished my meal quickly, and stood, intent on going back to my rooms for the night.

I wasn't aware of anyone following me until a hand grabbed my arm, effectively stopping me in my tracks. I turned to Snape, and glared daggers at him until he let go. His surprise at my reaction was noted, and he took a step back, which made my unexplainable anger rise even more. The heat in my cheeks made my eyes water, and I almost hoped that he wouldn't say anything, but to my dismay, he did.

"I'm terribly sorry for laughing at you." His voice was sincere, and suddenly, I went of like a box of firecrackers before he could continue.

" _Sorry?_ Sorry!? What's the bloody matter with you?" At his confused expression, I continued, my voice growing louder and louder at each word. "I come back to the bloody school and I expect you to be the same cold-hearted bastard you've always been and here you are bloody _apologizing_ for laughing! What happened to Snape, _the great greasy bat of the dungeons_?"

His face morphed into a painful expression, and then back to shock, and then suddenly, he was back to the Snape I remembered. His cold eyes glinted dangerously and he took a step towards me, effectively making me take a step back. My back hit the wall and he was suddenly pushed up against me, one long, pale finger pointed to me.

"You want to know, little girl?" He whispered, sending chills up and down my spine. "Fine. I'll tell you what happened to _the_ _great greasy bat_." He paused and chuckled low, sending another chill all over. "He's still here, Granger. He never left, you insufferable girl. _Excuse_ me for trying to be pleasant to my intellectual equal."

He spat the last words at me, pushing away from me and storming down the hall quickly. I stood there for a while before I regained my composure. I should've held my tongue and not said anything at all, I thought. Now I would most likely have to deal with the greasy git once again. I felt like banging my head against the wall, frustrated with my stupidity. Then his words hit me. He thought of me as his equal?

I rushed back to my rooms, intent on writing an apology for the man. Still shaking my head at my words to him, I wrote down words that I thought would convey my apology well, quickly. Charming it to fly as fast as it could, I sent it on it's way to the dungeons and sat down. I waited for what seemed like hours until a tapping at my door sent me running. The note seemed untouched, and I frowned, picking it from the air. I held it for a matter of seconds, confused, and then it instantly burst into flames, burning my fingers. Dropping it quickly, I yelped, staring at my now charred skin.

Oh, the bastard was going to pay dearly, yes indeed.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Hey guys, yes, this is the third chapter I've posted in under 24 hours. Get over it. I'm bored, and this is what happens. Enjoy, and as always, all characters are property of J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 3

I wasn't surprised that I didn't see Snape at breakfast the next morning, but I _was_ surprised when there was a letter on my place when I went to sit down. The unkempt handwriting of Snape was evident, and I hesitantly waved my wand over the parchment to ward off any enchantments he might have placed. Glaring at my blistered fingers in irritation, I opened the damn thing.

' _Ungrateful Granger'_ I snorted at his silly nickname. ' _I will see you at 10pm sharp tonight. If you are late I_ _ **will**_ _come escort you to the clock tower myself.'_ A mixture of excitement and confusion swept over my features and I tore the note into pieces. Why would he want to see me after my harsh words to him the night before? He didn't even bother to read my apology.

Thinking nothing more of if, I ate quickly, anxious to teach my very first class this morning. It was supposed to be second year charms, which had to have been her favorite class when she was of that age. You learned simple but amazing things like how to make inanimate objects speak, or how to make heavy objects lightweight with just the swish of your wand. It was the basis that set them up for the rest of their schooling. I knew I had to do well.

My plan was to give them a basic exam to see what they already knew, and then base where I started on that. I wasn't going to waste time on things they might already know, there was no point, and seeing as I had full control over what I taught and what I didn't, I was going to take full advantage over that.

"Granger," On my way to my room, I heard a tentative voice behind me, and I turned to see none other than Draco Malfoy. The past five years had been kind to him, as his good looks were still extremely evident. His blonde hair was swept back, but not oiled like he used to wear it in school. His silvery grey eyes had little laughter lines around them, and his left cheek puckered with a dimple. My god. "It's nice to see you. I heard you were back after all this time."

"Malfoy. Ginny told me you were helping Snape teach potions." I started, not at all eager to catch up with my once-enemy. "How goes that?"

"Well, usually, he's alright to be around," He paused and frowned as if thinking back to something. "But when I arrived this morning he nearly threw me out and told me to screw off. Blasted bastard."

I coughed to hide my apparent surprise, and he looked at me strangely.

"You wouldn't happen to know why he was like that," He looked me in the eye, and I felt as though he was rustling through my mind. I felt the hair on my neck stand up and I slammed my interior walls up, blocking my mind from his legilimency. His eyes rolled back into his head, a sharp cry of pain coming from him. "Merlin's balls, Hermione, I just wanted to see why he was mumbling about you all morning!"

"Malfoy." A sharp bark from the dungeon stairs made us both jump, and Malfoy straightened, a mask coming over his face to hide the pain from my mental wards. Snape strode towards us, taking in my surprised look and Malfoy's pained eyes. "I don't know what exactly just went on here but we all have classes to teach and I don't like to be late."

I strode away before he could say anything else, turning the corner and stopping to listen to the words he spoke softly yet sternly to Malfoy.

"You know better than to use legilimency on a practiced occlumens, boy!" His harsh tone was interrupted by Malfoy's protest, and a sharp smacking sound echoed in the empty halls. "She is too strong and too smart for you to be messing with her. Don't poke, don't prod, and _don't_ mess my plans up."

My head swam just then, and I realized my mental walls were once again being assaulted by some unseen force. I tested the barriers myself, and was pleases to find that they still held even though I was being attacked. A voice sounded in my mind, and I then knew who was trying to get past my holds. " _Let go, silly girl…"_ I stumbled a little as I tried to focus on holding my wards and walk at the same time. Another hit from Snape's own mind and I fell to my knees, the pain too great to stand. " _Stupid girl, you're going to kill yourself if you push me out any more._ _ **Let go!**_ "

The last shout from him sent me sprawling onto the floor, and my mind went blank as I brought up my wards, letting him rustle in my mind. He shifted through everything and I just sat on the cold stone floor, giving him the satisfaction of looking at my thoughts. He neglected to see the part of my mind I was still blocking him from, and as he came across it, I quickly slammed the mental wards down again, effectively severing his connection to me instantly. The last thing I heard was his cry of anguish before I let myself go into darkness.

Minerva Mcgonagall sat in her office, having her third cup of morning tea, when Poppy came running in, breathless and panicked. It took her several moments before she was controlled enough to breath out even three words.

"Hermione-" A shaky breath. "Severus-" Another shaky breath followed by a sob. "Attacked!" And the medi-witch collapsed in shaky sobs as she tried to gain control of herself. Minerva stood instantly, sending a silent call out to all staff members to escort students back to their dormitories. If the pair had really been attacked, she wouldn't risk any students having to deal with it either.

Severus woke to find himself in the hospital wing, covered in a white sheet and a lumpy pillow under his head. Several bottles of headache potion sat beside him, along with one smaller bottle of pepper-up. As he sat up, it was immediate to him why he was there. His head hurt like a bitch.

There was no white screen separating him from another bed to his left, and he recognized the curved shape of Hermione under her own white sheet. She was fast asleep, snoring softly. She had her own set of bottles by her bedside, but he noticed she had one more, a fiery red potion that healed the mind of overexertion. Frowning, he tried to remember what had gotten him in this place, and then it hit him.

He had been using Legilimency on the witch to see what she thought of him truly, before he continued with his plans later that day. Not knowing that Draco had been right about her wards shocking a man to his core, he tried it, and failed miserably. As soon as she sensed him, she began to fight, and he realized she was losing strength, tried to get her to let go, but she wouldn't. And her blasted little trick for letting him in for just a moment before she slammed her wards down again had cost him his breakfast and her, her consciousness.

Severus knew that she had been a skilled occlumens, he just didn't realize that she could use it against the intruders into her mind. It was an acquired skill, and even he hadn't mastered it fully yet. He sat up once again, this time expecting the swirl of nausea and pain, but it wasn't as bad. He unstoppered and drank down the potions he was given, before standing up and stretching, his joints popping and snapping.

He was unaware of Hermione's eyes on his body as he stretched, and her apparent fascination in how cut the older man was made aware to Severus by the little squeak she made, closing her eyes when he looked to her. To his horror, he hadn't realized that he was wearing nothing but his black dress pants, his pale chest bare. Cursing, he looked around to find _something_ to cover himself up with, finding the black shirt he was wearing earlier. He shrugged it on and flicked his eyes back to Hermione, who was still feigning sleep.

"Granger." He spoke quietly in case she actually was asleep, not wanting to put her in anymore mental distress than he already had. He whispered her name again, this time sharply, and her eyes snapped open. "Ah, so you aren't asleep."

"No," Her voice was scratchy and she cleared her throat. "No, because a nosy bastard such as yourself couldn't keep quiet while he tried to cover himself."

Severus flinched at her words and continued to dress in his robes, intent on leaving the hospital wing and this embarrassing encounter behind. Her eyes were still on him as he dressed, and she suddenly moved, sitting up and attempting to stand, clearly experiencing the same side effects as he had, and she toppled over as soon as she stood, falling straight into his outstretched arms.

I felt weird laying there while he was beside me, until he stood up. I was only distinctly aware of how hot he was when he did so, stretching his arms up, the muscles in his back and arms rippling and his joints popping. Nearly swooning when he turned, I became _very_ aware of the lines of his torso, defined so clearly, and the trail of hair leading from his navel to the low hanging waistband of his pants. The sound of complete and utter surprise I had made was small enough to go unnoticed, but with my luck, he turned, looking me right in the eyes.

To say the least, when I stood and fell over towards him, it wasn't surprising at all when his reaction was to catch me. I hadn't meant to do it on purpose, but when it the nausea washed over me, I had no other choice, and boy, did I enjoy the end result. One arm caught me around my middle, and the other supported my neck. I wasn't heavy, and that much was obvious when he hauled me up smoothly onto my own bed.

"Bloody hell, Hermione." Ginny appeared just then, taking in the sight of Severus holding me up on the bed, only dressed in his black t-shirt and pants. I had then realized that I was dressed in my own shirt, hanging below my waist, covering my own undergarments. Ginny rushed forward and swatted Severus's hands away from me and taking his place. "What the hell happened?"

"Some bastard-" I looked pointedly at the man who watched us, arms crossed, brooding expression in place. "Decided to test my mental ability to see my innermost secrets. He failed obviously, but it put us both in this blasted room."

Ginny turned to Severus and went off just as I had the night before, like an even bigger box of Weasley's Fireworks.

"How _dare_ you!? She's not some toy you can mess around with, you bastard." She jabbed him in the chest and he stepped back, surprised at the small woman's rage. "If you _ever_ hurt her again, I will see to it that those big kahunas you seem to have get cut off and used in my next batch of Thestral feed."

His face paled a considerable amount and she stormed out, not even bothering to say goodbye to me. I was almost as shocked as he was at Ginny's protective display. He stood there a moment longer, and suddenly turned to me.

"Drink your potions, Hermione. They'll help you." And with that, he walked out, without another word.

What a strange and trying day.


End file.
